September 5, 2014

It is that time your sad and homesick. I terribly miss the sadhya and festivities during Onam in Kerala. I havent felt like Onam in US, even if we the onam at malayali association and onam potluck. Onam brings a lot of fond memmories and onakodies. This year who is getting me Onakodi.. :(

1. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Throw in some
cashews and fry them until golden brown. Drain on to a paper towel.
Then add the coconut bits and fry until brown. Drain on to a paper
towel. Now add the split mung dal and fry for 2-3 minutes until they
turn a little golden brown. Now add 2.5 cups of water and pressure cook
for one whistle.

2. Meanwhile melt the jaggery in 1 cup water in
an uruli or any heavy-bottomed pan, at medium heat. Stir until it
reaches a light syrupy consistency. It would not take more than 10 – 15
mts. Open the pressure cooker when the pressure releases. Mash the mung
dal really well with the back of a spoon and add it to the jaggery
syrup in the uruli. Cook for a few minutes at medium heat. Add 1.5 – 2
cups of coconut milk. Mix well and cook at medium-low heat, stirring
continuously, until it thickens. Do not boil the coconut milk, boiling
will result in separated coconut milk.

1) I added chaokah (canned) coconut milk. Fresh
coconut milk will taste best. For fresh coconut milk – Add around 1/4 –
1/2 cup warm water to grated coconut and squeeze to extract thick
coconut milk(first extraction). Now add more water to the already
squeezed coconut and squeeze again to get the second extraction or thin
coconut milk. Finally strain the extractions through a fine sieve. You
can make this process easier using a mixer. Grind the grated coconut
with little warm water in a mixer. Then use a meshed strainer and press
down on the coconut for the first extraction. Repeat the same for the
second extraction.